Apparatus for the concentration of ores



I. H EBBA RD.

APPARATUS FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF ORES. APPLICATION FILED' NOV, 20,I9I7. RENEWED MAR. 26. 192l- Patented June 7,1921.

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' in series 18 provided JAMES HEIBBARD,

' eeaeeo.

OEBROKEN HILL, NEW SOUTH. WALES, AUSTRALIA, ASSIGNOR TO MINERALSSEPARATION NORTH AMERICAN conro m'rromor NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR CONCENTRATION OF ORES.

Application fi1ed November 20,

To all'whomiit may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES ager, a subject of the King of GreatBritain,residing at Central Mine, Broken Hill, in the State of New South Wales,Commonwealth of Australia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Apparatus for the Concentration of Ores, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for theconcentration of sulfid ores by what is commonly known as flotationseparation, in which the ores are subjected to aeration in an aqueousseparating medium in the presence of a frothing .agent, or in anemulsified aqueous'medium,

for the formation of a froth or scum of the metallic sulfids.

This invention is equally applicable to collective separation in todifferential or preferential flotation in which a float concentrate ofcertain suliids from other sulfids is obtained.

This invention is applicable to the treatment of ores, concentrates,tailings, slimes or other metallurgical products, and it will beunderstood that in this specification'the term ores will include allsuch metallurgical products as well as the crude material.

The present invention is an improvement in or modification of theapparatus described 1 in the'British Patent No. 10666 of 1915, to Sealeand Shellshear. In this prior patent the aeration of the pulp iseffected by the flow of the material itself, by feeding or deliveringthe pulp through a tube or pipe which delivers into theseparating vesseldrawing in air therewith which is entrapped so that the aeration andemulsification of the mixture is effected by the flow of the materialitself. In one modification of the apparatus described in thespecification of the said prior patent the discharge pipe from oneseparating box to the next box with a number of inlet holes for air .sothat the air is sucked in by the flow of the material itself.

. in this aforesaid Patent Ser. No. 37350 an equalizing feed box isprovided at the Specification of 1917, SeriaI No. 203,024. Renewed March26,

HEEBARD, manwhlch an indiscrimi-" nate float of sulfide is obtained, aswell as Lettersl n Patented June a, i921.

1921. Serial No. 455,980.

top of the series of separating vessels, and

the flow is controlled and regulated by adusting the size of theorifices in the outlet of. each separating vessel by means of aremovable hollow plug, additions of water .or separating mediumbeingmade to each separating vessel to compensate for that removed wlth thefloat concentrates, whereby -a constant level is maintained withintheseparating boxes. With this method of operation however an equalized andconstant feed of pulp is necessary, and relatively continuoussupervision is required. An object of this invention is to providemeans. for controlling the flow of pulp through the apparatus and formaintaining a constant level within each' separating I vessel,independent of any variations which may take place in time to time orthe withdrawal of the float concentrates.

lhis is accomplished by providing means for maintaining a constant levelwithin each separating vessel, comprising an overflow vent arranged at alower level than the overflow for the concentrates, such overflow discharging into the next vessel or box in the series. w

An apparatus of the class described, constructed according to thisinvention, comprises a series of separating vessels arranged one abovethe other, having a number of discharge pipes leading from the bottom ofone vessel into the next separating vessel below it in series anddelivering beneath the surface of the liquid therein, each of these saidpipes having a series of holes or perforations therein in combinationwith an internal injector nozzle whereby the drawing in of the airthrough the said holes is assisted. Each of said boxes has an overflowthe original, feed from lip at the top for the discharge of the floatily understood reference will nowbe had to the accompanying sheets ofexplanatory drawings wherein- .Figure l is a view in elevation of anequalizing box and two superposed separating vessels forming part of aseries, the lower 'se )aratin vessel bein shown in section.

Figs. 4 and 5 are views in sectional eleva tion of details in theconstruction of'the ap paratus, hereinafter are fully described.

The apparatus comprises a number of boxesor separating vessels atof'rectangular or other convenient shape arranged one above the other insuperimposed series so that the flow of the'pulpis from one vessel tothe other, the distance between each being such that sufiicient head isprovided for effecting .thenecessary aeration of the pulp. The top boxor vessel of the series is-adapted for an equalizing feed box. Each boxor vessel a is provided with a'number of discharge pipes 6 leading fromthe bottom thereof and projecting beneath the surface of the liquid inthe vessel or box next below it in series. j

Each of the discharge pipes Z) is-provided internally with an injectornozzle c, and with a series of holes cl through which air is drawn in bythe flow of the material. The discharge pipes b are connected to flangese fitted to the bottoms of the feed boxes by means of screwed ni oples fand coupling rings or collars 9, ti having flanges h which are grippedbetween the upper ends of the discharge pipes b and the low-er ends ofthe flanges e.

If preferred the discharge pipes Z) can be made in two or'more partsconnected by screwed ring couplings g, and the small ends I of thenozzles can be provided with detachable reducing ends 2', as shown in 5,

whereby the nozzles can be readily and quickly removed and cleansedinternally should they become choked .or partiallyv choked by anyobstruction entering the same with the material being treated by theapparatus.

Each box or vessel a is provided with an overflow lip j discharging intoa launder for the float concentrates.

The pulp is fed by means of a chute or launder Z (see dotted lines inFig. 2) to the i top box of the series, which constitutes an equalizingfeed box, whence it flows by way of the discharge pipes Z) to the topseparating vessel. TV hen the flow of pulp to the equalizing box isgreater than can be accommodated by the discharge pipes Z), the pulpthat side fitted with the equalizing overflow outlet m to the top andnear the opposite side 1e injector nozzles 0' rises in the said box andpasses. through an overflow outlet m into a compartment n I from whichit is discharged by a pipe 0 which projects beneath the surface of thepulp within the separating vessel or box next in series.

The overflow outlet mis formed by making a hole in or by cutting awayportion of the side of the box, and the height at which the pulp willflow through the said outlet can be regulated by adjusting the positionof a plate or gate 39 fitted slid'ably over the said outlet. Theslidabl'e plate or gate 10 is pro vided with vertical guideways g and 1sraised and lowered by operating a hand wheel 7" working on a screwed rods.

The upper end oflthe discharge pipe 0 is provided with an axiallydisposed pipe t the upper end of which is opened to the atmosphere (seeF ig. 3) the object of: which is to permit air to pass into thedischarge. pipe 0 to aerate the pulp passing therethrough.

The interior of each separating. vessel is provided with a 'baflie Mwhich inclines from of the said vessel as shown in F ig/Q. The inclinedbaflle it serves to crowd the float concentrates toward the lip jandfacilitates its delivery to the launder 70. I

The lower part of the baffle is situated below the overflow outlet m,and a hole '1). is

formed therein to permit the material when rising in the separatingvessel to enter the equalizing compartment The separating vessels. a areall. constructed as above described, and the float concentrates aredelivered on opposite sides thereof, alternatively, into launders iswhich deliver to a' common chute w, and the gangue or other residues aredischarged from the lowermost separating box of the series. I

' The construction and arrangement of the separating boxes and theirparts insure a constant level of. material being always maintainedtherein without the necessity of adding water to compensate for thewithdrawal of concentrates, and insures the flow of material beingmaintained with sufficient aeration for the formation of a froth or scumof metallic sulfids.

I claim--.

1..Froth-flotation ore-separating apparatus of the class in which theaeration and agitation are effected by hydraulic action of a gravityflow of the ore pulp through successive separating vessels: comprising alevel-regulating overflow for each vessel dis? posed at a lower levelthan its concentrates overflow, and each level-regulating overflow(except the last) discharging directly into the next separating vesselin the series.

2. F roth-flotation ore-separating apparatus of the class in which theaeration and agitation are effected by hydraulic action of agitation areeffected by vessel having pipe by flotation separation,

consisting of air inlets a gravity flow of the ore pulp through successive separating vessels: comprising a level-regulating overflow foreach vessel disposed at a lower level than its concentrates overflow,and each level-regulating overflow (except the last)- discharging intothe next separating vessel in the series, and means for adjusting theheight of each level-regulating overflow.

3. Froth-flotation ore-separating apparatus of the class in which theaeration an hydraulic action of a gravity flow of the ore pulp throughsuccessive separating vessels: comprising a level-regulating overflowfor each vessel disposed at a lower level than its concentratesoverflow, and each level-regulating overflow (except the last)discharging into the next separating vessel in the series, and means forcausing the flow of air with the overflow pulp during its passage fromeach level-regulatthe next separating vessel. 4. In apparatus for theconcentration of ores by flotation separation, a separating dischargemeans in the bottom thereof, an overflow lip for the float concentratesat one side thereof, a compartment on the opposite side thereof, anoverflow outlet leading from the vessel to the said compartment, anadjustable gate for regulating the height of such overflow, a dischargepipe depending from the said compartment, means for admitting air to theaforesaid pipe discharge means to flow with the pulp therethrough, and abattle or defleeting plate in the separating vessel inclining toward theconcentrates overflow lip.

55. Apparatus for the concentration of ores of vessels arranged oneabove the other, discharge pipes leading :trom one vessel to the nextbelow it, for each vessel anoverflow compartment also having. a pipedelivering into the next vessel in series, and means for admitting airto the said discharge pipes comprising a series name to thisspecification in in the said PIPES.

with injector nozzles disposed within the pipes in position to induceflow of air through said inlets with the pulp.

6. Apparatus for the concentration of ores by flotation separation,comprising a series of superposed separating vessels each havingdischarge pipes leading to the next in series, overflow lips on theseparating vessels for float concentrates, launders on the sides of theseparating vessels to receive the float concentrates, overflowcompartments on the sides of the said vessels and arranged incommunication therewith, a discharge pipe depending from eachcompartment to the next separating vessel in series, and air inlets andinjector nozzles in the said discharge pipes for inducing the flow ofair with the pulp passing therethrough.

7. vApparatus for froth-flotation separation of the class in which theaeration and agitation are effected by hydraulic action of a flow of thepulp through successive separating vessels; comprising a concentratesoverflow, a level regulating overflow and a tailings outlet for each.vessel, each level regulating overflow (except the last) dischargingdirectly into another separating vessel in the series.

8. F'roth-flotation concentration apparatus of the class in which theaeration and agitation are effected by hydraulicaction of a flow of thepulp through successive separ rating vessels; comprising a concentratesoverflow, a level regulating 'overflow and a tailings outlet for eachvessel, each level regulating overflow (except the last) dischargingdirectly into another separating vessel in the series, and means foradjusting the height of each level re lating overflow. In testimonywhereof have signed my the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

j JAMES HEBBARD. Witnesses:

Gr. MOD. HUNTER, G. A. 'ROBINSON.

